1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the control and production of a jet of water in a spa or hot tub or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a device and system for controlling the flow of air added to a stream of water to create a pulsation effect in a spa or jetted bath by intermittently blocking and unblocking the flow of air drawn into one or more Venturi jets.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of techniques are known for adding air to the water flow in a spa. Generally, a two-way system is used for this purpose. In addition, it is typical in present spas to control the pulsing of the jetted air-water stream by opening or closing the flow of water.
Although these documents are not necessarily prior art to this invention, the reader is referred to the following publications for general background material. Each of these documents is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,385, entitled Pulsed Air Sampler, which describes a device that samples chemicals absorbed to a surface by applying a pulse of fluid to desorb the particles adhered to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,222, entitled Pulse Air Assist Valve Module, which describes a fuel injector for use in an internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,703, entitled Pulsed Air Sampler, which describes a device that samples chemicals absorbed to a surface by applying a pulse of fluid to desorb the particles adhered to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,806, entitled Pulsed Air Assist Fuel Injector, which describes a fuel injector having a pulsed air assist atomizer to provide improved atomization and fuel spray targeting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,506, entitled Pulsed Air Combustion High Capacity Boiler, which describes a pulsed combustion having high capacity boiler inlet flapper valves at an inlet air decoupler toward a combustion chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,844, entitled Whirlpool Bath Assembly which describes a whirlpool bath assembly with a recirculation pump fed from the bath by a suction pipe and then to Venturi jet units through by system feed pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,574, entitled Method and Apparatus for Providing a Pulsed Water Message, which describes a pulsing valve for routing water, flow from an inlet line to outlet lines connected to water jets arranged in an array to provide a message.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,166 entitled Potable Spa, which describes a spa having a bath with an upstanding wall and pump assembly mounted to the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,711, entitled Gattling Jet, which describes a jet for use in spas and hydrotherapeutic reservoirs having different aligned sets of jet nozzles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,171, entitled Neck Jet Pillow for Tub Spas, which describes a unitarily molded pillow for mounting in a spa and having a flexible membrane positioned therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,925, entitled Pulsating Hydrotherapy Jet System, which describes a jet, a rotating member, and a diverter cap formed with a number of, bore holes positioned at a common radius from the center of the cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,180, entitled Method and Apparatus for Providing a Pulsed Water Message that describes a pulsing valve for routing water flow from an inlet line to outlet lines connected to water jets arranged in an array to provide a message.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,403, entitled Method and Apparatus for Providing a Pulsed Water Message that describes a pulsing valve for routing water flow from an inlet line to outlet lines connected to water jets arranged in an array to provide a message.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,640, entitled Hydrotherapy Jet and Fixtures for Spa Tubs and Pools and a Method of Installation, which describes a hydrotherapy jet assembly including a resilient grommet and a jet valve body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,069, entitled Jet Bath Having Multiple Accessories, which describes a jet bath designed to use minimum water and to have pulsating and massaging air-water jets appropriately located in the tub.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,783, entitled Modular 3-Way Valve with Manual Override, Lockout, and Internal Sensors, which describes an apparatus that selectively supplies a source of pressurized fluid to a load device and selectively exhausts pressurized fluid from the load device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,080, entitled Eccentrically Rotatable Sleeve Type 3-Way Valve which describes a housing having a central, vertical bore retaining therein a flexible, tubular sleeve whose central portion can be eccentrically motivated towards or away from two opposite valve seats.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,754, entitled Heat Exchanger for Recovery of Heat from a Spa or Hot Tub Motor that describes a heat exchange coil for heating water in a spa or hot tub by transferring heat generated by an electric motor driving a pump to the water in the coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,949, entitled Pump Arrangements for Hydro massage Baths, which describes a pump arrangement for hot tubs including a centrifugal pump having a central inlet and a radial outlet and a pipe system connected to the inlet by means of an inlet pipe and an outlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,620, entitled Bath With Swirl Nozzles, which describes a spa having devices for generating jets of water and/or air, which can be directed into the spa from several positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,539, entitled Method and Apparatus for Converting Pressurized Low Continuous Flow to High Flow in Pulses, which describes a device and method for converting low continuous liquid flow to a high intermittent and pulsating flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,966, entitled Electrically Controllable 3-Way Valve that describes a known valve controllable by means of an electromagnetic including at least one spring installed with prestressing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,384, entitled Discharge Nozzle for the Discharge Valve of a Whirlpool tub, which describes a nozzle for the discharge valve of a whirlpool having a water and air inlet duct.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,255, entitled Hydrotherapy Apparatus Having Preheated Air Agitation Feature, which describes an apparatus, provided with agitating air being preheated by the pump motor to avoid cooling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,545, entitled Gas-Fired Outdoor Spa and Hot Tub Heater that describes a heat exchange unit for use with a spa or hot tub.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,854, entitled Whirlpool Jets, which describes a jet housing having a unitary combination orifice and directional flow that can be coupled and decoupled from the jet housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,141, entitled Cleaning Labyrinthine Systems with Foamed Solvent and Pulsed Gas which describes a channel system which may contain parallel channels and dead-end zones cleaned by flushing with a liquid solvent containing dispersed bubbles of suspended gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,751, entitled Self-Cleaning Pulsed Air Cleaner which describes an air cleaning method and apparatus in which air to be cleaned is drawn toward and through a filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,330, entitled Self-Cleaning Pulsed Air Cleaner with Integral Precleaner, which describes an air cleaning method and apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,459, entitled Self-Cleaning Pulsed Air Cleaner which describes an air cleaning method and apparatus in which air to be cleaned is drawn toward and through a filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,541, entitled Method and Apparatus For Providing a Pulsating Air/Water Jet that describes a Venturi type mixer that produces an aerated water jet for spas and is provided with pulsating action by means of an impeding spoiler that momentarily and repeatedly disturbs water jet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,360, entitled Pulsed Air Filter Cleaning System, which describes a system for cleaning dust collecting filter bags with pulsed air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,879, entitled Equipment Sets for the Sequential Administration of Medical Liquids at Dual Flow Rates Employing Parallel Secondary Liquid Tubing and a 3-Way Valve, which describes equipment sets wherein the primary liquid can be administered at a flow rate independent of the secondary liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,001, entitled Hydro-Message and Pulsator Apparatus that describes a flexible mat having a plurality of protruding members and a plurality of apertures is agitated in a stream of highly turbulent mixture of air/water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,686, entitled Hydro-Jet Fitting For Hot Tub, which describes a hydro-message jet fitting for a hot tub wherein the fitting includes a Venturi air-induction system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,074, entitled Pulsed Air Activated Conveyer and System, which describes a system, that combines the principles of fluidizing gravity and a vibratory conveyor wherein the air is pulsed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,063, entitled Electromagnetic 3-Way that describes an electro-magnetically actuated solenoid valve with two opposing valve seats between which the armature moves axially.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,111, entitled Electromagnetic 3-Way Arrangement, which describes an electromagnetic 3-way valve arrangement having two valves, each controlled by a separate armature of a single coil solenoid.